Capsule structure



June 4y 1946. c. c. COCHRAN CAESULE STRUCTURE Filed July 8, 1945 u, ww ma mm* c e w C `-,armen/Em:

Patented June 4, 1946 2,401,617 CPSULE STRUCTURE Charles C. Cochran, Detroit, Mich., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Gelatin Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 8, 1943, Serial No. 493,845

Claims. l

'I'his invention relates to improvements in dis-v pensing capsules.

An object is to provide a dispensing capsule which is simple and inexpensive from which capsule contents may be readily ejected without employment of instruments and Without the use of separate opening elements.

A further object is to provide a collapsible dispensing capsule having a shell carrying content material, and which shell is provided with a content discharge aperture through which the content material may be ejected, which aperture is normally hermetically sealed by a lm of material which may be readily ruptured without the use of instruments topermit ejection of the capsule contents.

A more specific object is to provide a dispensing capsule, the shell of which carries content material adapted to be dispensed, and which shell is provided with a content discharge aperture normally sealed by a film of material, which lm is readily water soluble, whereby following short exposure to water the lm will readily rupture upon collapse of the shell and the contents may be ejected.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a capsule of the character used to enclose pile ointment. The capsule shell comprises a spout portion. This spout portion is closed at the end but is provided with discharge openings from which the contents may be ejected. These openings are sealed by a thin i'llm of readily water soluble material which upon exposure for a, short time to water may be readily ruptured upon collapse of the shell.

A meritorious feature is the production of a dispensing capsule of the character hereinabove described adapted to carry content material hermetically sealed therein and which may be readily ejected therefrom.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a capsule embodying the invention and partly broken away to more clearly illustrate the same.

Fig. 2 is a. fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation showing the capsule shell body without the discharge aperture closure in place.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the structure shown in Fig. l taken on the line 3-3.

The capsule which forms the subject of the instant invention is of the character of dispensing Y capsules from which ointment or other material may be ejected for use. It has heretofore been suggested that such capsules be provided with' opening elements of one type or another, or that they be so built as to facilitate breaking 0E the end of the discharge spout to provide a discharge opening, or that they be so constructed as to facilitate the use of instruments of one kind or another to clip or pierce the capsule shell to permit discharge of the contents. When instruments are employed they must be sterile and if the capsule shell is ruptured by cutting or breaking, the operation is frequently a messy one. This improved capsule is so designed that while the contents are hermetically contained within the shell and the shell is provided with a discharge opening, this opening is normally sealed with a membrane which may be readily ruptured without the use of instruments to prevent discharge of the contents.

In the drawing the capsule is indicated as having a shell body l0 which includes a neck or spout portion l2. This capsule shown may be formed.

Aof gelatin or other suitable material and the capsule is collapsible to permit ejection of its contents. The wall of the shell has a normal thickness as indicated in the cross sectional view of the spout portion I2 and the content material may fill the body and dispensing spout of the shell.

The end of the spout is shown as closed as appears in Figs. 1 and 2, but the spout itself is provided with a plurality of content apertures It. 'I'hese may be provided in such number as may be desired. The capsule body may be filled with the desired contents and the discharge apertures then formed therein by piercing or in any suitable manner.

A thin film or layer I6 of a suitable material, such as gelatin, may then be applied to the outer surface of the spout overlying the discharge apertures and forming a closure thereover. 'I'his may be done by dipping the end of the spout of the filled capsule into molten gelatin to form a film thereover, or a thin plastic gelatin membrane may be wrapped about that portion of the capsule exhibiting the discharge openings This film extends as a thin membrane across the discharge apertures and is adhesively secured to the outer surface of the shell. If the shell has a thickness of .010 of an inch to .025 of an inch this thin layer of sealing material may have a thickness of .001 of an inch to .003 of an inch. The shell layer is therefore substantially thicker than the lm layer.

It is also desirable that the sealing layer of nlm material be more readily water soluble than the wall of the shell. This may be accomplished by subjecting the shell of the filled capsule to a formalin treatment, which tans the shell and which is well understood in the industry, so as to render the shell less rapidly water soluble. The gelatin which is used to form the sealing lm is more readily water soluble as Well as being of less thickness than the material shell. In other words it is more quickly soluble than the shell to the point of rupture upon application of pressure to the shell.

When it is desired to use the contents of the capsule the film layer which overlies the apertures may be wetted with water for a short period and this will so weaken the iilm that when the capsule body is collapsed the film membrane over the discharge apertures readily ruptures to permit the discharge of the contents. If desired gelatin formulas which differ from each other, the one used to form the shell being less readily Water soluble than the one used to form the film, may be employed.

What I claim is:

1. A dispensing capsule comprising a collapsible capsule shell provided with a content discharge opening and a layer of material extending over and closing said opening, the material of said layer differing from the material of the shell in that it is more readily soluble to the point of rupture than the shell materiaI whereby after being weakened by contact with the solvent the layer ruptures on application of collapsing pressure to the shell.

2. The dispensing capsule set forth in claim 1 wherein the shell material is gelatin and the layer material is gelatin, but wherein the shell gelatin is more resistant to water solution than the gelatin of the layer.

3. A dispensing capsule comprising a collapsible capsule shell provided with a reduced elongated spout portion having a content discharge opening therein, said opening being in the side wall of said spout portion, and a iilm of soluble material bridging said opening and adhered to the wall of said spout portion hermetically sealing the opening, the material of said film being more quickly soluble to the point of rupture than the shell material whereby after beingl weakened by contact with a. solvent the lm ruptures on application of collapsing pressure to the shell.

4. A dispensing capsule comprising a collapsi ble capsule shell provided with a reduced elongated spout portion having a plurality of content discharge openings through its side wall adjacent to the end thereof, and a film of soluble material encircling said spout and bridging the openings and adhesively secured to the shell wall hermetically sealing said openings, the material of said llm being more rapidly soluble than the shell material whereby after being weakened by contact with a solvent the film ruptures on application of collapsing pressure to the shell.

5. A dispensing capsule comprising a collapsible capsule shell having a reduced elongate spout portion receivable within an opening in the human body for discharge of the contents of the capsule, said spout portion provided with a discharge opening, a film of water soluble material bridging and hermetically sealing said opening, the material of which the film is made being more readily water soluble than the material from which the shell is made and the iilm being of reduced thickness as compared to the thickness of the shell,

CHARLES C. COCHRAN. 

